Cleaning

A new gown should be cleaned as soon as possible after it is worn. Soils and stains become more difficult to remove as they age. Choosing the best method of cleaning may be difficult if no fiber content label or care instructions are on the gown. The following suggestions may help you select the best method for your gown. 

Washing with water and detergent:

• If fabric, trims, interfacings and linings can be successfully wet cleaned (virtually no care labels on wedding gowns say  "machine wash" so this is seldom an option).
• If a care label allows water and detergent on all parts of the gown, avoid using chlorine bleaches which may be retained in the fabric and continue to oxidize, causing the fibers to weaken over time. 

• If care label allows dry cleaning.
• If fabric is silk, acetate or rayon. 
• If trims should not be washed with water and detergent. 
• To best remove candle wax, greasy food stains, make-up or body oils. 

Be sure to identify areas of any known soils to the dry cleaner. They can apply the prespotting chemicals needed to remove the stains. 

All dry cleaners are not the same. It is always better to use a reputable, trusted and tested individual. Some dry cleaners may clean pieces individually (not putting them in the tumbler). This is preferable because it reduces the tensions on the cloth and seams but it can also be extremely costly. Ask for recommendations of dry cleaners from bridal shops and friends. Visit the dry cleaner to talk about your specific needs before you give them the gown. 

Specify that the dry cleaning solvent be clean before cleaning a white or off-white gown. Soils and oils from dirty solvent will dull a fabric initially and then discolor it further as they age and oxidize. 

Observe and note every detail prior to dry cleaning. Arrange to check the gown after it has been cleaned and pressed. Look at it in sufficient light to see that all stains and soils have been removed. Be sure the entire gown has been pressed. If wrinkles are unpressed, they will be more difficult to remove later. 

Discuss packaging to make sure the gown will not be encased in plastic and that any cardboard or plastic bodice-shaper is well covered with acid-free tissue paper. You may want to request that such a form be omitted entirely. Plastic bag covers will cause the fabric to yellow. 

For the safety of the gown fabric, avoid treatments to kill fungi and bacteria. 

These dry cleaning suggestions apply only to sturdy fabrics and trims. Fragile gowns requiring extra care should be cleaned only after consulting with a conservator trained in cleaning fragile textiles. Many public museums have textile conservators on staff. These individuals might also refer you to conservators in your area who would be willing to clean your garments and repair them for a fee.

  
Packing for storage

Many dry cleaners offer a "preserving" or "packing" service for wedding gowns. If you choose to buy this service, ask what type of materials and processes are used. If the dry cleaner mentions sealing the piece in a plastic cover RUN AWAY! 

A good dry cleaner should use inert, acid-free products. It is always better for him/her to have proof of purchase stating the archival quality of the items used (boxes, paper, etc.) You can also assemble the necessary packing materials and pack the cleaned gown yourself. The following may help you compare costs vs. convenience. 

Using a Dry Cleaner's Packaging Service:
The International Fabricare Institute Bulletin FC-48 states: "Apparently, the major value of these services is their appeal to the esthetic sense of the customer by providing a beautiful packaging job on garments of high sentimental value." This means that as far as the safety of the garment is concerned, you can do as good a job at home if you have the time and materials. 

Traditionally packaging practices used to dictate the use of blue tissue paper. Blue tissue paper has no special ability to prevent aging or insect damage, but it is esthetically pleasing. If the dry cleaner insists on using blue tissue paper instead of white acid-free tissue, ask for a sample. Check color fastness of the blue dye by thoroughly wetting the tissue with water and pressing against a white absorbent cloth. After ten minutes, there should be no color transfer. Rather than blue paper, it is much better to use white acid-free paper. If you have a choice between the two types of paper available for archival storage, use the acid-free paper that will best suit the fabric in the dress: buffered acid-free paper remains acid-free for a longer period of time and is used for cotton and linens. Unbuffered acid-free paper is used for silks and woolens. 

Make it clear to the cleaner that you intend to check the gown yearly (see last section-Yearly Inspection). Be aware that the packaging contract may state that if there is discoloration or damage when the gown is inspected, the cleaner will refund only the fee for cleaning and packing. Still, if plastic contact has yellowed the gown the damage is irreversible and no fees will compensate for this loss. 

Preparing Your Own Gown:
There are two ways to store a garment: hanging or boxed. Each garment is unique and should be considered individually. If the garment is very sturdy at the shoulder area, one can consider storing it on a hanger with a fabric cover. Make sure the gown sits on the hanger without putting strain on the shoulders, collar, or sleeves. Gowns with sheer, lacy or beaded fabrics, bias-cut sections, heavy skirts or trains, should be stored horizontally because of gravitational strains if hung. 

If the garment is too delicate at the shoulder area, if the weight of the skirt and train is too heavy or if gravitational strains will distort the gown, the dress should be boxed. Ideally, the box should be made of acid-free materials. Few commercial services offer a box that is really neutral. If the box has a cellophane window, the cellophane should be removed or tissue paper should be placed between the window and the gown. Molds and mildew grow more easily where the fabric touches plastic, cellophane or glass. 

Some items do not age well and should be isolated or removed from the gown and , if possible, stored separately. Such items include plastic and metal buttons, pins, buckles, headpieces and veils with metal parts. Remove rubberized shields and foam padding - they deteriorate with age and may stain the fabric. 

Vertical storage (hanging): 

• Select a sturdy hanger that is the right size and shape to fit the garment. To avoid a sharp crease at the shoulder, pad the hanger by winding strips of polyester batting around it to shape and cushion the shoulder area. Secure with thread.
• Cover the padded hanger with a cotton cloth cover. Because wood and plastics (such as polyester) release acids that create yellow stains on the fabrics they touch, it is better to use an inert shield over them. Undyed, unbleached and washed cotton muslin is cheap and safe and can be used for hanger shields as well as garment covers.
• Make a cotton dust cover that completely encases the gown, protecting it from light and dust. The outer dust cover and hanger cover should be washed yearly to neutralize the fabric. Avoid covers of synthetic fibers which create static electricity and attract dust. Do not use plastic garment bags for storage. 

Horizontal Storage (boxed):

• You will need acid-free tissue paper, cotton fabric and a sturdy acid-free box. The box should be large enough so that the gown will require few folds and deep enough to prevent crushing of the folded gown (for purchase of acid-free boxes and paper see addresses at the end). Avoid brown cardboard boxes that quickly release acids which are particularly harmful to cotton, linen, and rayon fabrics. If you cannot afford archival products, non-acid-free tissue paper can be used but the garment should be monitored more closely and the tissue paper changed yearly. Non-archival boxes should also be monitored closely and be extremely well lined with undyed, washed cotton muslin so that the acids released by the box will affect the protective cotton before they do the gown. 
• Line the box with undyed and washed cotton muslin so that the fabric completely covers the bottom of the box and extends beyond all four sides. Place the garment in the box gently. Arrange gown to minimize folds. Place crumpled tissue along major folds to prevent formation of hard creases. Cover the top of the gown with cotton fabric before closing the box. Fold the cotton fabric along the long sides first and end with the narrow sides. Use these narrow ends to pick up the garment when removing it from the box. This cotton sling serves to reduce the amount of tension on the garment when handling occurs. 
• Do not use plastic bags inside the box. Plastics are chemically unstable and trap moisture, allowing mold and mildew to grow. If you suspect leakage in the storage area, place a loose covering of plastic sheeting above the box that will still allow sufficient ventilation. Refrain from depositing the box directly on the floor. 
• Boxes should not be sealed. Fabrics are frequently made out of organic materials which require air circulation. Some boxes have slits that allow air to circulate but this is not necessary. 

  
Selecting a storage area

Select an area with minimum fluctuations in temperature and humidity, good air circulation and a minimum of light. This usually  means an interior wall in the living area of your home, rather than the basement or attic. The box must be kept dry. Clean the storage area regularly and inspect for molds, insects and rodents. 

Yearly Inspection
You should take your dress out of storage each year. Remove the cotton cover or open the box to check for evidence of darkening of unremoved soils . A number of colorless soils or stains turn dark as they age and oxidize. Change the position of the folds, replace the tissue paper if necessary, and wash any cotton fabric used in lining the box. This inspection should be done whether you packaged the gown or it was done commercially. This part of successfully storing wedding gowns cannot be
overemphasized. Do not wait 20 years to look at the gown. By then, stains will be more permanent, insect, mold, and mildew damage may be irreversible, and folds will have become permanent creases. Maintaining a wedding gown in good condition depends heavily on how well it is cleaned and stored after the wedding. 

  
Suppliers of archival quality boxes & paper 

Archivart 
7 Caesar Place 
TEL. 1-800-804-8428
FAX 201-935-5964

Gaylord
PO Box 4901
TEL 1-800-448-6160
FAX 1-800-272-3412

Light Impressions 
439 Monroe Avenue
PO Box 940
Rochester, NY 14603-0940
TEL. 1-800-828-6216
FAX 1-800-828-5539

Talas 
568 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
TEL. (212) 219-0770
FAX: (212) 219-0735

University Products Inc.
517 Main Street P.O. Box 101
Holyoke, MA 01041-0101
TEL. 1-800-628-1912 to order
1-800-762-1165 for questions